Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conducting object &lpar;usually a metal&rpar; by electromagnetic induction&comma; through heat generated in the object by eddy currents &lpar;also called Foucault currents&rpar;&period;

An induction heater consists of an electromagnet&comma; and an electronic oscillator that passes a high-frequency alternating current &lpar;AC&rpar; through the electromagnet&period; The rapidly alternating magnetic field penetrates the object&comma; generating electric currents inside the conductor called eddy currents&period;

The eddy currents flowing through the resistance of the material heat it by Joule heating&period; In ferromagnetic &lpar;and ferromagnetic&rpar; materials like iron&comma; heat may also be generated by magnetic hysteresis losses&period;

The basic component of an induction heating system is an AC power supply&comma; induction coil and workpiece &lpar;material to be heated or treated&rpar;&period; The power supply sends alternating current through the coil&comma; generating a magnetic field&period; When the workpiece is placed in the coil&comma; the magnetic field induces eddy current in the workpiece&comma; generating precise amounts of clean&comma; localized heat without any physical contact between the coil and the workpiece&period;